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My Opinion : Warning : I read this book in half a day, and my emotions were fully blown. Maybe reading it in a day would be better for everyone.


This book was different from what I normally read. I love Young Adult Paranormal Romance, and this was more about Young Adult Non-Fiction. But I still enjoyed it.


I haven't read much books that are about dealing with death without anything Paranormal, so this was a bit weird for me at first. The writing was fast-paced, but still kept a grip on small details that made the story whole.


*uses sarcasm* D'Arcy (Yeah, I know, weird way of writing a name) was simply charming! Nah, just kidding. She had a weird, but understandable, way of dealing with her father's death. But when Seth appeared, she began feeling better, and that's why I'm so grateful to Seth.


I recommend this book to anyone who likes Non-Fiction. Even Fiction fans could read this. ( )

I have a hard time with books about suicide. It's a subject that's very close to me, and there is nothing like the gut-wrenching feeling of learning someone you care about has taken their own life. For that reason, books that deal with the aftermath of suicide for those left behind tend to resonate with me. This book is slightly different from the average young adult novel about suicide in that it's D'Arcy's father who has died, rather than one of her peers. And it's a well-written novel. But for me, it was missing something. At the end of most books with this subject matter, I am in tears, sobbing and emotionally exhausted. But even though Darlene Ryan tried to capture that feeling (D'Arcy's grief is obvious), it just didn't quite make it there for me. At the end, I was sad, and a little pensive, but definitely not sobbing. ( )

D'Arcy's father dies and there is a question of what happened. She wants to believe in her father and lives just "five minutes more," like he taught her. No one seems to understand what she is going through until she meets Seth.
This was a very good book. I felt for D'Arcy, but was angry sometimes at the way that she treated people. I have never had something like that happen in my life so I don't know if that is how I would react. The book is a very quick read and good for those who are reluctant readers.

Darlene Ryan's Five Minutes More is just another example of edgy teen literature that is ready to dive right in and make a splash to change the genre for the better. The raw honesty in D'Arcy's narration will make the reader sympathize with all of the horrible, rotten things she has to go through, at the same time thanking the powers that be that you're not the one dealing with it. It's painfully obvious that Darlene Ryan wrote this book from the heart. It's such a unique, but relevant, topic, dealt with a heartbreakingly real way. It almost seems like each and every word was handpicked to create a haunting poignance. The characters, just like the writing, is honest to humans, and I particularly enjoyed reading about Seth's breakdown aimed at D'Arcy, veering sharply away from the 'cute and cuddly' typical love interest stereotype found in young adult fiction. While I felt that the ending was somewhat rushed, I also found it reverberating for days after I finished the book in it's raw power. Everything comes full circle in this amazingly written snapshot of D'Arcy's life. I am ranking this book with the likes of Thirteen Reasons Why and Just Listen in that I believe every teen should, at some point, read and fully appreciate this wonderful piece of literature.

Rating: 5/5 ( )

When D'Arcy's father dies, her world falls apart and the only thing she can do is take things five minutes at a time. She can stand five more minutes of anything... but can she stand this?

D'Arcy's grief is searing and oozes off every page. At first it seems like the story will be about D'Arcy's resilience in the face of tragedy, but she soon spirals out of control. It's not exactly my thing, but fans of issue books will enjoy the drama.

Full review on my blog: http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/04/book-review-five-minutes-more.html ( )